In Quantum physics, objects can exist in different states at the same time. You know, Schrödinger’s cat and all that stuff. Today, psychologists are poking around with an interesting theory about schizophrenics and their mental states and the galactic complexity of Parallel Universe theories.

Usually sufferers only have a single personality, but could they, in fact, be living in parallel universes? As we are not physically aware of other universes their existences is purely theoretical and, therefore, open to conjecture. Quantum objects can exist in different states and it can be argued that each different state belongs to a different world. This would imply a multiverse. This idea has been extended even further to cover actions with more than one possible outcome. If the theory is correct then each possible outcome is in a different but parallel universe. So could schizophrenics actually be spanning more than one reality-state at once?

String theory proposes that our universe is like a bubble existing alongside similar parallel universes and the parallel universes may come into contact with one another. This results in a big bang similar to the one that started our universe.

Many scientists do not believe in multiverses, but others feel that any world that is mathematically coherent can in fact exist and each one is as likely as any other. These would not follow the same fundamental mathematical laws as our universe, but would have equal probability of existence. So who knows what lies over the rainbow? Perhaps you’re living there in your own paradise.

Life after death could even continue in a parallel universe that infrequently interacts with our own. Strange phenomena have been universally reported from individuals pronounced clinically dead or very close to death. This usually includes first a sense of awareness of being dead, such as viewing one’s body from above and watching the doctors and nurses desperately trying to resuscitate. Then a sense of peaceful removal from the world takes over followed by rapid movement through a tunnel towards a powerful light, representing unconditional love. They have even reported receiving knowledge about their life and the nature of the universe before making the decision to return to their body.

A new ‘psychological’ idea, from Mind Valley, called quantum jumping involves meeting up with your twin self in a parallel universe. It entails initially hypnotising oneself and then passing through a tunnel into a different universe and meeting up with one’s other worldly twin. This ‘time twin’ lacks the particular complex that desperately needs to be cured.

When you remerge from the tunnel you have picked up their persona and your trauma is now cured. It’s kind of like repairing soul damage from your past. You can also pick up knew talents from your talented other self before returning through the portal to modern day reality. Actually, it’s even a bit like, ‘The One’, starring Jet Li, except you don’t have to battle or kill anyone unless you want to learn martial arts! The complete process only takes about half an hour a day, but I’d think twice before forking out a fortune to Mind Valley for promises of wealth. (Maybe selling you the CD is how quantum jumping really did help them get rich!)

As for parallel universes, all through high school people were telling me I lived in another universe – perhaps they were right!